Merci Ortenzi Treaster PT, DPT

As most of you know, 6 months ago I had my little boy Oliver. These past 6 months have been incredible. I have enjoyed every part of motherhood (well, maybe after that first month..haha). As I reminisce on my own pregnancy and postpartum experience, I am thrilled that the “4th trimester “is now a recognized term. Your 1st trimester you are sick and tired, your 2nd trimester you are happy, full of energy, and not that big, and your 3rd trimester you are huge and can’t wait for your little human to enter the world. Well, prior to the term…

Your main focus throughout the post-partum period should be protecting your body. In general, this includes but is not limited to your pelvic organs, pelvic floor musculature, fascia surround pelvic inlet, and abdominal wall/cavity. Pelvic floor dysfunction is common postpartum. Signs and symptoms that need to be addressed include: urinary or fecal incontinence, pelvic pain, diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse. Whether you had a vaginal or cesarean birth pelvic floor dysfunction can occur. If you experience any of the above symptoms do not hesitate to contact a pelvic floor physical therapist. It is fair to guess that you’ll probably have…

Low back pain, hip pain, pubic symphysis dysfunction, and diastasis recti are very common during pregnancy. Changes in your body such as normal weight gain, the hormone relaxin causing hypermobility in your ligaments, and postural changes can all be related to pain and dysfunction during pregnancy. Pubic symphysis dysfunction is characterized by pelvic pain and increased mobility of your pelvis and has been reported to affect 31% of pregnant women. Diastasis recti is a characterized by the rectus abdominis muscle separating during and after pregnancy. It is important that you alter your daily activities and exercise habits to protect both…

Oliver is one month old! That is crazy to even think about. We are both doing great! He has gained 2 lbs and is the light of our lives. I am happy to report that I am feeling great physically (and mentally). My stitches have all healed and I do not have any of the signs or symptoms that would warrant me to be extra careful. This doesn’t mean I can start back at Orange Theory Fitness, but it does mean I can get an exam from a pelvic health physical therapist and start increasing my exercises. I have started…

May is officially Pelvic Pain Awareness Month as of 2017! As a pelvic health physical therapist that treats pelvic pain regularly, I am incredibly happy that this is out and open to the public eye. Pelvic pain affects both women and men of all ages. As most of you know, my mother is a gynecologist. She says that about 10-15 of her patients have a diagnosis of pelvic pain on a weekly basis. Pelvic pain presents differently for every individual. “Googling” pelvic pain and the signs and symptoms is not helpful due to the overwhelming amount of answers you will…

The problem: Urinary leakage (incontinence) affects 1 in 3 women across their lifespan. Check out this video: CrossFit – Do You Pee During Workouts? Wherever you are right now, look around at your colleagues/family/friends/etc. Someone has incontinence, has had incontinence in the past, or will have incontinence in the future. Incontinence is not a typical conversation between mother and daughter, friends at brunch, or even between physician and patient; however, this issue is very common and should not be considered “taboo” during daily discussion. Often incontinence can be preventable. Just to be clear…while incontinence is common (and should be discussed…

I started my Orange Theory Fitness (OTF) journey in June of 2017. For those of you that are curious about OTF I will list the description below. Orangetheory Fitness uses the science of Heart Rate Based Treadmill Interval Training, the efficiency of Indoor Rowing for increased power and the proven concept of Weight Training Blocks to create the fitness level and body you have always desired. Workout and Weight Loss plateaus are a thing of the past….really! The physiological theory behind the Orangetheory workout is known as “Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption,” or EPOC. By using our heart rate straps and…

I am currently 22 weeks pregnant and starting to feel some new aches/ pains, stretching in places I don’t want stretched, and (finally!) some baby movement (the only one movement I am excited about)! I have been able to exercise 5-6x/week which helps me boost my energy when I am feeling fatigued. Below is some information on increased instability during pregnancy and things that may help if you are experiencing symptoms of pelvic girdle pain. Lately, I have had a handful of clients diagnosed with Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), also known as Pelvic Girdle Pain. I myself do not think…

I am happy to say that I am 17 weeks pregnant with a baby boy. Yes, I am a pelvic health physical therapist, and yes, my mom is an OBGYN and I grew up at her office, as well as watching 25+ vaginal and surgical deliveries…. but NO…I wasn’t prepared for pregnancy. I will be honest in saying that I had this idea that I would exercise everyday and eat so healthy and it was going to be simple…..but, I was WRONG! Fatigue has been the symptom that has affected me the most. In my first trimester I had nausea…